Petitions against domestic partner law expected this week

In case you missed it … If you sign a petition against SB 5688, the state bill that’s set to expand legal benefits to same-sex couples, your name will be posted online.

At least, that’s what a Web site called WhoSigned.org says will happen.

A site description says it is a “grassroots organization of Washington state residents.” It contains links to Decline to Sign 71, a pledge campaign to oppose an effort to gather enough signatures to put the domestic partner bill to a public vote in November.

(Note: The site has no connection to Decline to Sign, according to Equal Rights Washington. See update below.)

According to the site, once the signatures are collected and verified, WhoSigned.Org will “work to make this public record signature information accessible and searchable on the Internet.”

I’ve got a call in to Larry Stickney to ask what impact, if any, he thinks this site’s actions could have on Referendum 71. Stickney, president of the Washington Values Alliance, is heading up the effort to put SB 5688 to a vote.

(Note: I spoke with Stickney about 6 p.m. See update below.)

Update, 3:40 p.m.

Though WhoSigned.org links to the Decline to Sign 71 campaign, it has no connection to that larger effort, according to Josh Friedes of Equal Rights Washington.

Now that he has, Friedes says he is concerned it might hurt the positive tone many of the state’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists are hoping to set as they fight to defend the domestic partner law.

“We don’t question their sincerity. We question whether or not this really achieves the common goal of protecting Washington families,” Friedes said.

Friedes said the general campaign is focused on getting people to talk about why they shouldn’t sign Referendum 71, and will not in any way put those who disagree on the defensive, as WhoSigned.org might do.

“We hope people will understand this Web site does not represent the campaign which has the widest spectrum,” he said.

The Decline to Sign campaign has gathered more than 25,000 pledges not to sign Referendum 71, Friedes said.

Update, 5:45 p.m.

I just spoke with Brian Murphy, one of the creators of WhoSigned.org. Like Friedes, he said his goal is to encourage people to have conversations about the issue. Unlike Friedes, he believes his approach is more effective.

“I have great respect for the work that Equal Rights Washington do,” Murphy said. “This is just one of those circumstances where I looked at what happened with Proposition 8 — largely that was left in the hands of advocacy organizations — and it didn’t turn out the way we hoped. The feeling is, maybe we didn’t quite do enough. Maybe people were too laid back.”

Murphy said he considered other states’ experiences with public lists of petition signees before posting the site. He found no mention of a violent or confrontational response, and said he’s confident it won’t happen here.

“We hope when they find names of people who are familiar to them, that when at the grocery store or the soccer field or just mowing their lawn, that’s a chance to have a conversation,” Murphy said.

“If you want to sign (Referendum 71), you have the right to sign that, but be aware there are probably people who live near you, people you know, who would want to come and talk to you about what that means to them.”

Update, 6:30 p.m.

Larry Stickney just called, and held little back in his evaluation of WhoSigned.org.

“This is a typical pattern around the country wherever the homosexual lobby is — employing hostile, undemocratic intimidation tactics wherever their interests are challenged,” he said.

To emphasize the point, Stickney said he has received dozens of obscene or threatening phone calls and emails since leading Referendum 71.

“I expect more of the same, but we’re not backing down,” he said.

Stickney said he’s putting the final touches on the referendum drive petition and hopes to start printing copies as early as Tuesday.

Gay rights advocates are awaiting the release with skepticism. By law, the petition must include the full text of the bill. That’s 110 pages.

Stickney said he’s managed to put it all on one big sheet of folded paper.

“I have literally thousands of people who want to sign this thing,” he said. “There’s no lack of people power on this one.”

The petitions will be sent out by mail and will also be available at drop locations throughout Seattle, Stickney said. You can request one at The Protect Marriage Washington Web site.